The Other Half
by hikaru-yamato
Summary: After 11 long years, will two halves finally become one?
1. Reunion

Author's Note: I do not own Monochrome Factor and its characters. My original character for this series is the girl introduced in this chapter. Enjoy!

_How long has it been? Will he recognize me like this? I'm not the little girl he used to know anymore._ The girl thought to herself as she looked outside her window. She shook her head and went back to reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"Good morning everyone, this is your Captain speaking. We will be landing at Narita Airport in 10 minutes. Please remain seated until then. Thank you." The other passengers fastened their seatbelts as they heard the announcement from the pilot.

"It's time. I will finally meet you again, Onii-sama." The raven-haired girl closed her book and sat quietly until the plane landed.

Just as the pilot had announced, they arrived at the airport on time. The cabin crew assisted everyone as they got off the plane. Some people took their luggage from the compartments above their seats while others just carried what they had on hand. The girl waited until most of the passengers had left before she stood up. She tucked the book inside her backpack and took her other luggage from the compartment.

"Thank you for flying with us. We hope to see you again in your next flight." The flight attendant thanked them with a smile.

"Thank you but you won't be seeing me again. I'm not planning on leaving ever." She smiled back at the attendant. She knew her response would surprise the woman but she couldn't care less. She dashed down the staircase and made her first step to her homeland, the place she unwillingly left for 11 long years.

The airport taxi stopped right by the gate of a two-storey house. As it left, a girl was left standing before the Nikaidou's residence. Pulling her suitcase on her right hand, she went towards the gate and rang the doorbell.

"Good morning! Is anyone home?" She shouted.

"Guess not. Hmm. What should I do now?" She murmured to herself. The girl looked around her. Seeing as no one was around, she breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

_Where are you, Nii-sama?_

She concentrated on every single memory she had of him. His hazel brown hair that turns raven black just like hers. His gray eyes that turns to a crimson red just like hers. And the strong and wide back she always admired. He turned around. He had a gentle smile on his face and his hand outstretched towards her.

"Let's go, Reina."

She reached for his hand then opened her eyes. She knew exactly where he was.

It didn't take her long to find it. The school was only a few blocks away from his house. Their house.

"What time do classes here end? Should I wait for him here? No. That would make me look like a stalker or even his girlfriend. No, I definitely don't want that." She murmured to herself. Both her hands were on her cheeks as she daydreamed about her brother right in front of the school gate.

"But what will I say to him when I find him? Hi. I'm-"

Out of nowhere, someone came crashing to her. Her monologue was cut short when she fell on her back, and so did her luggage.

"Ouch. That hurt you know! Who in the world-"

Time stopped for her at that moment. She couldn't believe what she saw.

"Nii-sama?" She said with her shaking but gentle voice.

"Uh. Sorry about that. Here." He had that same smile he always had in her memories. And he was offering his hand, the one she had longed to hold all these years. The girl slowly reached for his hand.

"A-KI-RA! Come back here!" A girl shouted from the school gate.

"Tch. Aya." He quickly took the hand of the girl he bumped then looked back to the one inside the school.

"You can't leave the grounds during school hours, can you? I'm off." He teased and gave her a smug look before running off.

"Akira! I'll get you for this!" He faintly heard Aya scream at the top of her voice. He could even imagine her giving him that murderous stare with a sword on her right hand.

"Now. Maybe I should buy that new CD." He thought to himself. When he tried to reach for his pocket, he realized that he was holding something in his left hand. He felt soft and slender fingers. A girl's hand. In his surprise, he quickly let go and jumped back.

"Who are you?" He plainly asked as he shook his left hand. He looked at the girl before him. She had a beautiful black, shoulder- length hair. Her fair and smooth skin looked good with her cotton blue dress. He could see her blushing with her two hands covering her mouth. But what caught his attention was the pair of crimson red eyes that was staring back at him.

For some reason, he found her strangely familiar. His heart started beating fast. He suddenly clutched his head as he found himself in pain from trying to remember. The last thing he heard was the girl's sweet voice calling out to him.

The next thing he knew, he was already on his bed. When he tried to sit up, he found a girl sleeping soundly beside his bed.

"I'm glad you're awake Akira. And it seems that she finally made her way here." The silver-haired guy in black overalls said as he walked inside Akira's room.

"What are you talking about Shirogane? Do you know this girl? Are you still hiding things from me?" He shouted to Shirogane, annoyed at his own ignorance.

"Well…" Shirogane looked away, holding his top hat to hide his eyes.

"Please don't get mad at him." The girl awoke from Akira's voice. She rubbed her eyes then sat properly beside his bed.

"As to your question, I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer you at once. I am…" She glimpsed at Shirogane who nodded to her in return. She cleared her throat and looked back to Akira with steady eyes.

"Reina. Reina Nikaidou."


	2. Key

Author's Note: I do not own Monochrome Factor and its characters. Reina Nikaidou is my original character.

"Reina. Reina Nikaidou."

Silence. Shirogane peeked at Akira's reaction with his eyes still hiding under his hat as usual. The girl who was claiming to be someone from the Nikaidou family sat still beside Akira's bed.

"So? What brings you here?" Akira finally asked.

"Do you… Do you remember me?" Reina moved closer to Akira, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Akira leaned back to his bed's headboard.

"Aren't you my cousin or something? It's the first time I've met someone with the same family name as me. Oh right. Father is there but he rarely comes home anyway."

"Cousin? Me? Do you really not remember me, Nii-sama?"The girl stopped herself, putting both her hands on her mouth but it was already too late. She felt something boil inside her and she had to let it out. Her hand moved on its own and left a stinging pain on Akira's left cheek.

"I hate you. I hate you Nii-sama!" The words slipped out of her lips. She thought that he would always think of her just as she had done all these years.

This wasn't how she imagined their first meeting to be. She stood up and dashed out of the room.

"Hmmm." Shirogane let out a deep sigh of disappointment.

"What was that all about?" The annoyed Akira asked, holding his left cheek. Shirogane chuckled at the sight of the red hand mark on Akira's left cheek. He remembered the first time he got on Reina's bad side.

"You really don't know how to talk to a woman properly. You haven't seen her in years and you make the poor girl cry. What a mean brother you are, Akira-kun."

Meanwhile, Reina continued to run outside their house as if someone had been chasing her.

_Why did I slap him? It wasn't his fault that he can't remember. We both decided on it. I should have given him more time. It has been 11 years after all. And I even said I hated him. While I am his twin sister, I am also his…_

She came to a stop when she felt the presence of another Rei. She looked around and found herself in front of a bar.

"Aging bar? I'm a minor and it's still closed. Maybe..." Reina wiped away the remaining tears in her eyes as she stepped in front of the bar's door. She knocked twice. Not hearing a response, she decided to enter the place. The door creaked as she turned the knob and slowly let herself in.

"Good evening. I'm sorry to intrude but I'm looking for someone."

Her footsteps echoed across the room. The seats were still turned upside down over the tables. She walked towards the man beyond the counter. The more she got closer, the more she was certain that he was a Rei.

"I haven't heard these footsteps before. Who might you be young lady?" The bar owner asked.

"I am Reina. Reina Nikaidou. And like you, I'm a Rei. Could you be the other king, Shisui?" There was no hint of doubt in her voice. The bar owner looked exactly like the other king in her memories. To be more precise, _his_ memories. She took a seat in front of the counter following the gesture of the owner.

"That was fast, Reina-chan. Your powers truly are amazing. Right now, they call me Master but what brings you here?"He asked as he gave her a glass of water. The question struck her and she wanted someone to hear her out so she explained everything to him.

"So you ended up slapping your long lost brother?"

"But I really didn't mean to. I was worried about him all this time." She let down the glass on the table as if punctuating her line.

"Please don't put your anger on the glass Reina-chan." Remarked Master.

"I'm sorry. It's just-"

"Just what?" The voice said behind her. She knew exactly who it was without having to look back.

"Ah. Akira-kun. And Shirogane-san as well." Master called out as he felt the presence of the two as they entered the bar.

"I am not apologizing to you." Her tone was defiant. No way was she letting her loneliness get the better of her again.

"Who says I want it? I probably deserved it anyway. And…"

"And?"

"Are you really my sister?" Akira reluctantly asked as he sat by the left seat beside Reina. After recounting her story to Shisui, she was already able to clear her head. And right now, she knew exactly what to do.

"You never had any of your childhood memories, did you? The reason was because I- No. We decided that it was the best thing to do back then. But now, it is different. Hold out your hand." She commanded. Being the elder among the twins, she had every right to use this tone on Akira.

"Why should I?" It was in Akira's nature to be stubborn. Master and Shirogane both stared at the two of them, awaiting how Reina would pacify the king of carefree life. Akira gulped and finally resigned himself to the raven-haired girl after seeing her burning glare. He didn't want a slap on his other cheek too.

Reina took his hand and raised it as if they were both making an oath.

"Just follow my lead okay?" She whispered. Akira turned red after feeling his sister's breathe close to his ear. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight of his blushing brother. Reina took a deep breath and chanted.

"Hear me, keeper of all memories. I am the bearer of the key. By my command, release the seal!"

The two were suddenly engulfed in a bright and warm light while the other two kings sat patiently and observed. Only Akira and Reina saw the memories flashing before them like a movie strip. It was all true. The boy and the girl. They were inseparable. The Nikaidou twins.

The memories he didn't bother to think about. He never had anyone to ask anyway. His father was always out on business trips. He has no recollections about his mother. Let alone having a sister. Five years worth of childhood memories were now returned to him.

The light that surrounded them slowly faded away. The two still held each other's hands. No one had the courage to speak when Akira leaned his forehead on hers. Startled she may be, she didn't have the energy to resist. Not after using her powers like that. Then again, she longed to be close to him like this for the longest time.

Realizing that he was not alone with his sister, Akira quickly outstretched his arms and released Reina from his grasp. He put his hand on his face, hiding his embarrassment.

"This doesn't change my first question. Why are you here?"

"Shirogane-san, when I returned Nii-sama's memories, I saw something in him." Reina started, evading Akira's question. She stood up from her seat and slowly went to where Shirogane sat, just a few seats away from her and Akira. Shirogane twitched at the memory of his first encounter with Reina. He may be the King of the Shadow World but it was nothing before the face of an enraged sister.

"Uh. Reina-chan. I'm sure you also saw the circumstances back then. If I didn't turn him into a Shin, he would have died." The silver shadow said with a smile but his voice was shaking.

"But because of that he is limited. He can't turn into a Rei." She sighed. Reina turned back to Akira and faced him with a firm resolve.

"I am answering your question now, Nii-sama. I didn't just come here to return your memories and be by my brother's side. I came here to protect you and help you in your battle with Homurabi."


End file.
